Ballantine’s lift fifth title in All Filipino Bowling League-Lacoste Cup

Ballantine's won their first All Filipino Bowling League back in 2004.

Ballantine’s made history after securing their fifth championship trophy despite dropping their last match against Team Express 8-2 in the 47th DFBC-All Filipino Bowling League-Lacoste Cup at the Dubai International Bowling Centre.

Ballantine’s entered the final round with only one point lead, 127-126, over eventual second-placer Crazy X. They finished the tournament with 129 points similar to Crazy X but they lifted the silverware due to superior pin falls. Ballantine’s had a total of 54,119 pin falls, 481 pins more than Crazy X’s total of 53,638.

Ballantine’s are now tied with Lacoste-Dante’s Peak with the most number of championship trophies. They lifted their first Cup back in 2004 under the name Chivas but it was followed by an eight-year drought before they tasted another championship in DFBC’s 42nd season in 2012 and won two more in the next two years.

“This season was very tough, the champion team was not known until the last ball had been thrown,” Ballantine’s team captain Mario Magdaluyo told Sport360. “Lady luck smiled on us because Crazy X also lost in their final game against Lacoste-Dante’s Peak allowing us to escape with the crown.”

Top 10 teams

1

Ballantine’s

129 pts.

2

Crazy X

129 pts.

3

Lacoste-Dante’s Peak

124 pts.

4

Team Express

113 pts.

5

SMDC the good guys

111 pts.

6

Sherlock

110 pts.

7

Titans

98 pts.

8

Covenant

97 pts.

9

Louie’s Team

94 pts.

10

No Bandage

93 pts.

Lacoste-Dante’s Peak trounced Crazy X 11-3 and garnered a total of 124 points, enough to finish the tournament in third place while Team Express and SMDC the good guys finished in fourth and fifth places with 113 and 11 points respectively.

Magdaluyo is expecting tougher challenge from Crazy X and Lacoste-Dante’s Peak in the next conference which is set to open on 31st July.

“I will keep the team intact for next season,” said Magdaluyo. “Crazy X just signed ace bowler Jordan Evan, who used to play for Dante’s Peak, to reinforce the team while Dante’s Peak will try to recruit another top bowler to strengthen their line-up.

“We will give them our best shot but in the meantime, we will first enjoy the moment of our fifth championship trophy,” he added.

At the Brasschaat Park in Antwerp, world No9 India looked destined for another defeat against their Asian rivals, having lost to them by 2-3 margin at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup earlier this year.

But Jasjit’s strikes ensured India avenged the defeat. There was heart-break for India’s arch-rivals Pakistan, who failed to qualify for the 2016 Olympic Games after losing to Great Britain 2-1 in an earlier match.

Great Britain also needed to win the match to book their spot in the Rio Olympics, and they did that, thanks mainly to two early goals. Chris Griffiths put them ahead in the fourth minute, with Alastair Brogdon making it 2-0 in the ninth.

India, who have already qualified for Rio next year, will face Belgium in the other semi-final after the hosts subdued France 5-4 in a rousing encounter.

Earlier, after Satbir Singh gave the 2014 Asian Games champions lead as early in the third minute, Malaysia, ranked three places below India, pulled level through a penalty corner conversion from their skipper Razie Rahim in the 15th minute, and went ahead when Shahril Saabah found the mark.

Jasjit then scored twice (in the 49th and 56th minutes) to secure victory for his side. With just 38 seconds left on the clock, Malaysia managed to earn another penalty corner, but the effort from Rahim was deflected by Indian goalkeeper PR Sreejesh.

India dominated the proceeding, enjoying possession for 55 per cent of the time, but apart from Satbir’s third-minute goal, which was set-up by a brilliant solo effort by Akashdeep Singh, and a great chance one minute later by Akashdeep himself, they did not create much chances.

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